Procurement comprises a significant portion of UW’s spending. With its purchasing decisions UW can endorse suppliers who are practicing sustainability; we aspire to have 100% of them aligned with our Supplier Code of Conduct. We are quickly working to incorporate students’ voices in purchasing decisions. As we work with campus units and departments to develop equitable purchasing targets, we will follow the state’s goals for minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses under the Results Washington strategic framework.

Status updates

Target actions for 2024

View actions for past fiscal years

Sustainability plan guiding principles

  •  Ensure students achieve sustainability literacy
  •  Choose our research conscientiously
  •  Keep equity and inclusion at the center
  •  Use resources responsibly
  •  Decarbonize

Sustainable purchasing principles shall consider economic impact and social equity in support of relevant UW goals and policies, including the utilization of minority-, woman-, veteran-owned, and other disadvantaged businesses for university purchases and contracts. Business Diversity & Equity will continue to work with UW departments to encourage each of them to set specific spending goals to align with the UW’s Diversity Blueprint and the Regent Policy No. 60 Statement of Business Equity, along with identifying the best process to reach those goals.

In addition, UW will continue outreach and technical support to vendors and suppliers, and track these interactions and successes. Metrics will include the number of suppliers who have attended orientation and received business with the University or other public agencies or participated in a program offered by the Foster School Consulting and Business Development Center (CBDC).


UW Sustainability will use the upcoming Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Analysis report to identify opportunities to reduce Scope 3 emissions related to goods and services purchased. This will include discussions with stakeholders across the University and collaboration with Procurement teams to determine impactful and achievable measures.